Federal Council adopts message on the Pact on Migration and Asylum

The Swiss Federal Council adopted its message to Parliament concerning legislative amendments required for Switzerland’s participation in the European Pact on Migration and Asylum. As an associated Schengen/Dublin state, Switzerland will take part in several aspects of the reform. The Federal Council supports the reform, emphasizing that Switzerland has a strong interest in a stable and coordinated European asylum policy. Five of the ten EU regulations are binding or partially binding for Switzerland. These mainly concern the Dublin system, which rules largely remain the same but now include shorter deadlines, stricter transfer conditions, and greater emphasis on applicants’ ties to specific Dublin states. A new crisis regulation allows temporary exceptions in extraordinary migration situations. The revised Eurodac regulation enhances data interoperability between European systems and now includes facial images and fingerprints from the age of six, as well as new categories of persons. The pact also introduces a pre-entry screening procedure for third-country nationals entering the Schengen area, involving identity, security, and health checks. A new solidarity mechanism for distributing asylum seekers among EU member states is not binding for Switzerland, but the Federal Council is open to voluntary participation, viewing it as a chance to strengthen European cooperation. During consultations, about half of the respondents, including most cantons, supported Switzerland’s adoption of the five EU regulations. Some cantons expressed concerns about potential administrative and financial burdens, while others criticized the reform’s restrictive orientation and called for Switzerland to systematically participate in the solidarity mechanism through concrete commitments.